Method of making wet mops



March 23, 1954 F. MELLOR METHOD OF MAKING WET MOPS Filed Aug. 6, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC E' METHOD -OF MAKING WET MOPS Fred Mellor, Shreveport, La. Application August 6, 1949, Serial No. 109,005

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a method of making mops, particularly of the type used with water for scrubbing floors and in which the corded, mop material is disposed in the form of a bundle and arranged for attachment to the end of a handle for use.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a mop which is easy to manufacture and assemble at a minimum of cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of making a mop wherein the mop head may be easily detached from the handle to permit cleaning or replacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unique method of gripping the mop cord and of attaching the same to the mop handle.

Other objects of the invention will be found in the course of the following detailed description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a broken side view showing a mass of mop cord held at one end in a preliminary step in the construction of an embodiment of my invention in a mop.

Fig. 2 is another side view, the entire head having been inverted and the mop cord folded uniformly over a gripping ring, as another step in the construction of my invention in a mop.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate two metal rings that are used in holding the mop cord.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the completed mop head attached to a handle.

Fig. 6 is a vertical, sectional view taken along lines 6--6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a side view showing the mop head as it appears lying on a flat surface.

Referring first to the construction of the mop in completed form as illustrated in Figs. 5, 6

and 7 the mop head is designated generally by l the numeral I0 and comprises a bundle of mop cord II, tightly clamped at the upper end by an inner ring band I2 and an outer ring I3. These rings are made from straight wire material and bent around forms of predetermined diameters and the abutting ends welded to form a complete ring. The inner ring band I2 is also arranged to embrace the head of a threaded stud I4 which threadedly engages the lower end of a handle I5. Such attachment as shown permits the head to be easily removed from the handle I5 for cleaning or replacement.

In constructing the mop thus illustrated, a bundle of mop cord II of any suitable material is cut to the desired length and one end of the bundle placed through the metal ring I 2 illustrated in Fig. 3. The ring I2 is then partially bent into an elliptical shape and the mop cord evenly distributed in the enclosure. A threaded stud I4 is placed centrally of the width of the ellipse and the metal ring I2 is then forced by pressure against the head of the stud, thus binding it, together with the mop cord it embraces, into a substantially fiat bundle. It is to be noted here that the ring I2 is positioned well below the upper ends of the mop cord II so that when the ring I2 is pressed into its final position, the top of the bundle is left with a definite tuft I6, the purpose of which will be described later.

The next step consists in inverting the mop head I0 and evenly dividing the cords along the central plane of the elliptically bent ring I2 to expose the threaded stud I4 as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. When the mop cord II has been thus evenly divided, the lower ends of the same are placed through the other metal ring illustrated in Fig. 4. This ring I3 is necessarily larger in diameter than the first ring I2 inasmuch as it must embrace a double fold of the mop cord. The ring I3 is positioned above the tuft I6, but below the inner ring I2 and the stud head. It is then subjected to pressure and forced into an elliptical shape the same as the inner ring I2. It is thus bound against the mop cord I I, between the tuft I 6 and the inner ring I2. The mop head is then ready for threaded attachment to the handle I 5.

In Fig. '7 the mop is shown in the working position with the head In lying flat on a floor surface F. In this figure it will be seen that the inner tuft I6 causes a definite bulge II to the mop head which serves the double purpose of providing a cushion as the mop is pushed across the floor and as a padding around the stud head to prevent it from protruding and scratching the floor surface.

Since the mop head is formed by subjecting the wire rings and cord to considerable pressure, it is possible to produce a mop head. having an extremely thin cross section with respect to the width. This is highly advantageous in a mop since it permits covering a maximum floor area with minimum weight and also permits the mop to be pushed under low projections such as might be found on bookcases or cabinets.

If considered desirable, a metallic ferrule might be placed on the lower end of the handle and adapted to threadedly receive the stud I 4.

In actual construction of the above described mop, it has been found that the method of tying the mop cord of the head permits approximately nineteen percent more of the cord to be used than any other mop known or described in the prior art. In some of the prior art mops almost one-half the length of the mop cord is used in an attempt to secure the same to the mop handle. Such extensive use of the cord necessarily increases the cost to the manufacturer without any benefit to the final user of the mop.

While I have described my invention in detail, both as to the product and to thezmethod of making, changes may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a method of making a mop the steps comprising encircling one end of a bundle-ofmrop cord cut to a predetermined length withan-annular band, partially compressing the band into an elliptical shape and distributing the cord'=ends evenly within said band; inserting a stud from said end into the-bundle of cord and between the sides of the annular :bandand centrally-act the width thereofgsubjecting said band tol pressure .to compress the same across the distributed -cord endsa-nd against the stud to leave long ends and short ends of the cords projecting :respectively in -opposite directions from said-band,

then evenly dividing-the long endsof the cords along the centralaplane of the elliptical shaped gas band and folding them generally radially in a :30

reverse direction over said band, extending the cord ends thus/folded through. a second annular band, bending'said second band inlthe same manher and to have a major axis lying. in "the said central .plane of said .first band to clamp the long ends of said'mopwcord'to thezshort ends of the cord beyond the extremities of said stud, and then applying aahandle to saidstud.

2. Ina method of making a wet mop the steps "generally radially over the band in a reverse x directionandextending the same through a second annular band of a diameter slightly larger than the first mentioned band, then positioning the-secondbandit-between the head of the enclosed stud and the end of said tuft and compressing-said second band in the same manner and to have a major axis lying in the said central plane; was 1 the first band to clamp the longer ends of said mopscord tozsaid tuft beyond the extremities :of said stud,i=and'lthen applying a handle to the stud.

References Cited .insthe lfile of this .patent UNITED STAT-ES PATENTS Number Name HDate 531,056 McDone1s LDec.. -18, 189,4 -609,665 .Durham Aug-23, 1898 1,099,858 Pendergast 'Juneh-9,--T19 -l4 1,150,957 Nelson Aug. 24, 191'5 1,207,457 Williams Dec. 5,1916 1,606,257 'Oldham Nov. 9, 1926 41,993,215 Hoyt Mar. 5, [1935 2,059,530 Lay Nov. 3, 1936 2,295,914 Rasic Sept. 15, 19.42 

